Retaining ring for dial covers and the like



Feb. 7, 1950 E. FIGEIGER ETAL 2,496,534

RETAINING RING FOR DIAL covsns AND m: LIKE Filed July 1, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 3.

INVENTORS EDWARD F.6El6ER REYNOLD B.J0\-\NS ON ATTCRNEY 0 E. F. GEIGER ETAL 2,496,584

RETAINING RING FOR DIAL COVERS AND THE LIKE Filed my 1, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 34 J5 EDWAR a F 653651 REYNOLD B. JOHNSON Patented Feb. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I macs corporation of New York Application July 1, 1m, Serial No. sao,ezs 1 Claims. (01. 58-91) This invention relates to clocks and similar apparatus having dials, or the like, which are covered by transparent members, and more particularly to structures for retaining the transparent cover members in place.

An object of the invention is to provide appa ratus of the type referred to which is of improved construction and arrangement of parts.

Another object is to provide a new and improved structure for retaining covers in position which is of relatively low cost and which is neat and attractive in appearance.

A further object is to provide a new and improved composite ring structure for retaining transparent covers for clock dials and the like, in place, which ring structure can be easily and quickly snapped into place from the front of the clock without tools and which is pleasing in appearance.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which disclose by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing the present invention as embodied in a clock.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing an improved form of composite retaining ring structure as assellinbled and prior to its being mounted in the cloc Fig. 4 is a fragmentary assembly view of the top part of the composite ring structure as it appears in Fig. 3, the view being on an enlarged scale so as to illustrate more clearly the detailed structure of the ring.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary assembly view like Fig. 4and showing the bottom part of the composite ring as it appears in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the split ring which forms the solid core of the composite ring structure of Fig. 3.

Referring now in detail to the construction illustrated and first to Figs. 1 and 2, the reference numeral Ill indicates the improved clock structure in its entirety. The clock It comprises a one piece metal casing Ii formed in any suit able manner such, for example, as by a spinning operation. The casing II is so formed as to provide a centrally disposed disk or backing plate l2 surrounded by a peripheral skirt portion It, the latter terminating forwardly of the disk l2 in a ring-shaped flange I which is'spaced forwardly from the annular periphery of the disk l2 to provide an annular groove l5 therebetween. A clock dial it is centrally mounted on the front of the disk l2; and, on the back of the disk is fixed a mounting plate ll provided with a rearwardly extending hook member [8 for the purpose of mounting the clock on the wall, or the like. The conventional operating mechanism for the clock is mounted within a housing ll suitably secured on the rear of the mounting plate ii. The minutes arbor 20 and hours sleeve 2i surrounding the arbor 20, extend forwardly through centrally located and aligned openings in the housing l9, plate [1, and disk [2. The minutes hand 22 is suitably attached to the forward end of the arbor 20 and the hours hand 23 on the sleeve.

A transparent cover member 25 encloses the space occupied by the hands 22 and 23 and is secured at its annular periphery against the disk l2 by a composite retaining ring structure 30, the latter being disposedbetween the periphery of the cover member 25 and the flange it. As is conventional, the cover member 25 is made of glass and is suitably formed as a segment of a sphere. The diameter of the annular periphery of the cover member is slightly less than the inside diameter of the circular flange l4 so that the cover 25 can pass through the circular opening defined by the flange when mounting and removing the cover from the front.

As will presently appear, the composite ring structure 30 when first assembled and prior to its being installed in position in the clock, is of a larger diameter than the inside diameter of the flange ll. The ring structure 30 is resiliently contractible in a circumferential direction, so that it can be manually contracted to permit its being inserted past the flange it. After passing the flange i l, the ring structure 30 will expand and thereby engage the inner surface of the flange l4 and the periphery of the cover 25 so as to firmly hold the latter in position against the disk i2.

The composition ring structure 30 is shown in Fig. 3 as it is first assembled and before mounting in place in the clock structure. The details of construction of the ring 30 are shown more clearly in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. As shown, the ring structure 30 comprises generally a solid core element 8|, a first relatively long tubular section 32, and a second relatively short tubular section 33. The core element ii is shown in Fig. 6 as being preferably made from selected wire stock having a pair of ends 84 and. II, respectively.

which are spaced from one another when the element Si is assembled with the tubular sections 32 and 33. for the purpose of permitting circumferential expansion and contraction. The relatively long tubular section 8! is shown more clearly in Fig. as being formed by helicaily winding a length of selected steel wire stock about an imaginary longitudinal axis to provide core element 3|. the helically wound section 82 abut one another. The relatively short tubular section 33 is shown more clearly in Fig. 4 and is also formed by helically winding a length of selected steel wire stock about an imaginary longitudinal axis to provide a centrol bore receiving the core element 3 I. The adjacent convolutionsof the helically wound tubular section a are spaced from one another so as to provide for circumferential contraction of the section It when a suitable force is applied.

The inherent resiliency of the steel wire stock from which the section It is formed assures the expansion of the section back to its normal length upon removal of-the applied force. It wilibe noted that the diameters of the convolutions of both tubular sections are approximately the same.

- As stated. the component parts of the complete retaining ring structure are shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 in their normal assembled relation and without a contracting force being applied. In order to assemble the parts in the manner shown, the closely wound tubular section II is flrst threaded on one end of the core element 3| for about one half the length of the section 32. Then the relatively short section It is threaded on the other end of the core element ii and moved around until its leading end abuts-the inserted end of the section 12. The other or free end of the section 3! is then threaded on said other end of the core element ti and until it abuts the other end of the section I8. With the two sections 32 and 33 thus assembled on the core element 3i and the ends thereof in abutting relation, the two ends as and II of the core element are separated a predetermined distance (see Figs. 3 and 5). This gap between the two ends 34 and ti represents the designed maximum amount of circumferential contraction provided by the par- .ticular composite ring structure forming a part of the disclosed embodiment. It is noted that in the assembled relation, the gap between the two ends 34 and II of the core element is bridged by the tubular section If, and the tubular section 33 is located diametrically opposite such gap.

As stated hereinabove, when it is desired to install the transparent cover member II and composite ring structure 8| as a part of the clock, the cover II is first placed. in a central position on the disk I! where it covers the dial It and hands Hand 23 and the composite ring structure is then manually contracted so as to pass the cir-' cular flange I 4 and moved into position behind the flange M where it expands due to its inherent resiliency to engage and hold the cover 2| tightly gainst the disk It. From the foregoing it will be apparent that the composite retaining ring structure il in con- Junction with the backing plate or disk i! and the annular flange ll, provide a simple, inexpensive, and effective structure for mounting and demounting the conventional glass cover from the front of a clock. Because of the fact that bularineanss bothtubularsectionsllandstareformed helicallywoundwirestoekandthediameters nular flange and effectively function as a retaining ring when in place. is relatively small, for

1 example, in a 12-inch clock the maximum cira longitudinal central bore which receives the The adjacent convolutions of cumferential contraction may be on the order of .38 of an inch. Consequently. the spaces between adjacent convolutions of the sections are relatively small when installed and the difference 16 between the two sections will not be apparent to the eye of the casual observer. Because the ring and glass can be mounted from the front of the clock. and because of the simple construction of the ring, the cost is considerably less than inpriorstructureofthistypewheretheglassis usually mounted from the back in order to overcome the unsightly appearance of conventional snap rings. Ready access to the hands and dial of the clock is provided without requiring the removal or disturbing of the clock movement. Furthermore, as the tubular casing surrounding the core of the sup rings is formed from helically wound wire stock. the ring structure easily adlusts itself to unevenness of fit and consequently canbeusedwitharelativelywidevariationin fit of glass to case; Also, the glass can be quickly mounted and demounted without requiring the use of tools.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment. it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the 40 form and details of the device illustrated and in its operationmay be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore. to be limitedonlyasindicatedbythescopeofthe following claims.

Whatisclaimedis:

1. A composite retaining ring structure comprisingaring-shapedcorehavingapalrofseparated ends to provide circumferential contraction and expansion thereof; and ring-shaped tuurrounding said core and divided circumferentially' into a first section bridging theseparatedendsofthecoreandbeingrela tively non-contractlble yet expansible circumr ferentially of the core and a second sectionfllling the space between the ends of the flrst section and being resiliently contraetible and expansible circumferentially of the core.

2. A composite retaining ring structure comprising a split ring element formed of wire stock with the two ends thereof separated to provide a gap therebetween for permitting circumferential expansion and contraction; a tubular element having a longitudinal central bore receivingsaidringelementandhavingapairof' ends spaced from one another to provide a gap therebetween. and being positioned on saidring element so that the two gaps are spaced circumferentially from one another; and a helically 'wound compression spring member formed of resilientwirestockandhavingacentralbore receivingsaidringelementandflllingthegap between the two ends of the tubular element.

$.Aringstructureassetforthinclaim2 wherein the diameter of the eonvolutions of the helical spring member is approximately the same as that of the tubular element.

4. A ring structure as' set forth in claim 2 wherein the tuhular element comprises wire stock helically wound about an imaginary longitudinal axis to provide the central bore and with adjacent convolutions abutting one another. 0

5. A ring structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein the tubular -element comprises wire stock helically wound about an imaginary longitudinal axis to provide the central bore andwith adiacent convolutions abutting one another, and wherein the diameter of the several conv'olutions oi the tubular element and of the helical spring member is approximately the same.

6. A composite retaining ring structure comprising a solid core member formed as a split ring with the two ends thereof separated to provide a gap therebetween to permit expansion and contraction a tubular member having a central bore receivingsaid core and bridging'said gap and having a pairoi ends spaced from one another to provide a gap therebetween circurnierentially spaced from said first named gap; said tubular member comprising solid stock helicaliy wound aboutan imaginary longitudinal axis to provide the central bore and with its adjacent convolutions abuttingone another; and a helically wound compression spring member having a central bore receiving said core member and filling the gap between the ends of said tubular member.

7. A composite retaining ring structure for clocks and the like comprising a ring-shaped core element having a pair of separated ends providing a gap therebetween for permitting circumterential expansion and contraction thereof; a ring-shaped tube having a central bore receiving said core element and having a pair of ends sepa- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,058,489 v Stowe Apr. 8, 1913 1,308,947 Hale July 8, 1919 1,417,326 Jacobson May 23, 1922 1,553,590 Bauwens Sept. 15, 1925 2,335,063 Hopkins Nov. 23, 1943 

